ABSTRACT
Some individuals in the illegal drug trade achieve dominance over whole sections of a market, over their own criminal groups, and over a community in which they are embedded. Such actors achieve great wealth, status and power, and maintain their positions for significant periods. This chapter discusses the unique characteristics of such people and the role of violence within their practice. The chapter further explores the morality of violent men, and provides some insights into dominant criminals’ practice. Nevertheless, the chapter finds that living with threats to one’s life can have a detrimental impact on the psychological and emotional health of individuals. Desisting from crime is complex and difficult for any ‘offender’, however involvement in a significantly violence prone criminal arena such as the drug trade brings some unique and difficult obstacles to those who wish to change their lives.
